Anantara

Came here for lunch today with friends and family and loved the service, ambiance and the food. The menu was very different from what am used to seeing in the Bay Area and every dish had a unique flavor. Everything was really good and it's difficult to pick a favorite. We tried 1. Drumstick chicken2. Black Cod Pollichathu3 Kids Porrota with Kurma 4. Ghee idli bites5. Karaikudi Chicken Curry 6. Kal dosa 7. Egg kal dosa 8. Buttermilk 9. Lassi and10. Coconut payasam for dessertOur server was Sandy and he was really attentive. We were seated in the patio, he noticed it was too sunny, and moved us inside without us having to say a thing. I The service couldn't have be better. All in all, a great experience!

Ambiance was amazing . Like an upscale restaurant.Food was not bad. We ordered chicken curry, paneer korma, Malabar paratha from the main course. Paneer was cold and didn't taste good. Chicken curry was good. Parotas were good tooService was very slow .. may be due to valentines weekend rush.Menu was different than usual due to valentine weekend. We will give it one more try to try the regular menu.

My family and I had a memorable meal at Anantara today with our usual gang, and I just had to write this review while it's still fresh in my mind. This newly opened fine-dining South Indian eatery is unlike most other Indian restaurants in the Fremont area. The menu is thoughtfully crafted - we had a hard time deciding what to order because everything looked so enticing. And to top it off, we dined during the Valentine's Day special weekend, so we were working with a limited menu!For appetizers, we tried the Chilli Malli Crab Cakes, Curry Leaf Yogurt Chicken, and Shrimp Inji Puli. The crab cakes were delicious - well-balanced in flavor, soft, and allowing the crab to shine. The chicken, unfortunately, wasn't served warm, but the flavors were still on point. The shrimp, however, were absolutely fantastic - tangy, crispy, and fresh. I couldn't stop eating them!For the main course, we had the Black Cod Pollichathu and Grandma's Goat Curry with Appam and Malabar Porotta. The black cod was outstanding - soft, flaky, and buttery, coated in a delicious masala paste and steamed inside a banana leaf. The goat curry was rich and flavorful, while the porottas were freshly made, perfectly flaky, and incredibly tasty.The ambience was both cozy and classy. A special shoutout to Sandy, our server, who was prompt and friendly. The attention to detail from one of the owners, Mr. Sonu, also made our experience extra special - he was warm, candid, and his recommendations were spot on.I highly recommend this place - we'll be back soon! Here's hoping they continue to maintain their excellent quality and service over time.

Kudos to the chef at Anantara. I knew I was in for a treat after just my first spoonful of the shrimp broth. Every dish we had was a masterpiece. Balancing strong spices is a talent and maintaining the balance and not going overboard requires mastery. My mouth is still watering reminiscing my lunch. The food was so flavorful and brilliantly executed, that I was truly impressed. We went on Valentine's Day and they had a separate special menu that day. Ambiance is decent with a large mural covering one wall and wall length window on the other wall facing the outside. They had a lot of fake plastic plants at the entrance which I didn't really fancy but who cares when the food is so good? Service was quick and attentive. This is what we got-***Shrimp broth-5/5- small serving of richly spiced and flavored broth with four tiny shrimps. The flavor of shrimp was outstanding and the first spoonful awakened all my senses. The tiny shrimps were surprisingly melt in the mouth soft and not over cooked so I am assuming they used shrimp shells or larger shrimp to make the broth and draw out such rich flavor.***banana blossom kola-5/5- three pieces of fritters made with banana blossoms. I was impressed by the flavor profile of these fritters. I was flummoxed by how they fit in such complex and nuanced flavors into that tiny ball. I relished this dish, it was outstanding.***Spiced chicken roulade with Karaikudi sauce: 5/5- dish came with rice and we ordered a Ceylon parotta on the side as well. The rice was exquisite. It was not rice cooked with just spices rather it was rice cooked in a rich broth and the flavors ran all the way to the core. It was delicious just by itself. The chicken roulade was good as well but I didn't fancy the potato filling, it felt kind of like a letdown after all these other outstanding dishes. I am running out adjectives but the gravy the roulade was sitting on was amazing as well. It's so obvious the chef is a master of his craft and I feel lucky to have eaten his creations. I will go back to try their regular menu as well.Btw, I visited Kerala a few months back and ate local Kerala food three times a day for 8 days. The food was good, rustic for the most part but most of the dishes didn't have a good reign over the fiery spices grown in abundance on their monsoon drenched lush hillsides. Can I dare say my meal here was much better than that?

Impressive, sophisticated take on cuisine of Kerala. Clever design choices imbue the space (formerly Rangoli) with the hallowed, sacred feel of "God's Own Country." Soft, dim lighting with table lamps reminded me of evenings in Aranmula, writing in my diary at my desk by candlelight; green color theme and potted plants, evokes the lushness of the backwaters. At the same time, the aesthetic feels hip and contemporary, typical of an affluent area of India, like Jubilee Hills.Warmth and friendliness from the staff set the tone for a fantastic meal. Our knowledgeable server Ganesh guided us through the menu, gave great recommendations. Paneer baos were an awesome start. Mini podi idlis had a nice nutty, spicy flavor. Mini vadas tasted clean and wholesome, not too heavy. Black cod was my favorite dish. Truly outstanding. The fish skin is expertly crisped with a mouthwatering spice rub, fish is meltingly tender, spicy coconut curry is exquisite, authentic. Chefs are not messing around; this dish is better than you can find in most of the Bay Area's top gourmet restaurants. I love that they didn't dumb down the spicing for American palates. Which they don't have to do in Fremont, as most of the diners are Indians. Appam was fresh and soft. Veg biryani was wonderfully aromatic, with subtle spicing. Kerala biryani is not heavily flavored like Hyderabadi biryani, so adjust your expectations (and don't complain about it like my Hyderabadi husband did lol); it's more like pulao. Dessert was crème bruleed gulab jamun, absolutely as good as it sounds. The jamuns tasted freshly fried, with perfect sweetness, not too much. Very happy, fulfilling dining experience. The pride of the chefs in their artistry shined through every dish. This restaurant is a gift to the Bay Area. And probably the best restaurant in Fremont.

I've been massively impressed by the food available near the hotel I'm staying at in Fremont lol. Anantara was the icing on the cake during my trip and I am so happy we tried it. The restaurant is in a fairly busy strip mall with tons of shops and restaurants nearby. It's on a corner lot, which made parking a little bit easier for my coworker and I on a Thursday night, but I can imagine parking becomes pretty difficult during the weekends and on holidays, etc. The interior of the restaurant is gorgeous; it's decorated so tastefully and the ambiance is perfect. The dining area is in a single large room, but tables and seating arrangements are spread out well enough to give you a decent amount of privacy while you enjoy your meals. It's very lively when the dining area gets full, but nothing different than you'd expect with a popular restaurant. I read a couple reviews about it being unbearably loud and that wasn't the case when I visited. We were helped by a very nice gentleman named Danesh and started with the chettinad kuhzi paniyaram (rice dumplings) that were served with a spicy onion relish. These came out very quick and the presentation was excellent! They were very hot, obviously fresh, and very delicious. The relish was a perfect addition to the appetizer. I was torn between the Alleppey shrimp curry and grandmas goat curry, and asked Danesh for a recommendation; he was quick to say that the shrimp was his favorite and that's what I went with. He mentioned it came with two bread selections, but you can also add a side of rice if you'd like. My coworker ordered the southern Tiffin platter, which came with a selection of different sauces to use with a small variety of bread types. We also got a bowl of ghee rice for the table. Our meals seemed to appear out of thin air very shortly after we were 50% done with the first couple of dumplings and again... such great presentation. Everything looked and smelled amazing. I did not hesitate to dig in lol, and I can confidently say that the shrimp curry is probably one of, if not the best I have had. My coworker loved her meal as well and we could not stop gushing about how good everything was. Danesh stopped by regularly to ask how we were and we didn't go a moment without water either. I joked that I'd make the trip back to Fremont from Colorado just to have another meal here lol, but that should tell you how good I think it is. Absolutely 10/10 experience and I hope I get the opportunity to visit again someday.

If you're looking for authentic South Indian flavors with a modern twist, Anantara is an absolute gem! From the moment I walked in, the warm ambiance and attentive service set the perfect tone for an incredible dining experience.What I Tried: Classic South Indian Filter Coffee - Perfectly brewed, aromatic, and comforting--a must-have for coffee lovers! Kerala Fisherman's Soup - A flavorful, soul-soothing broth with a hint of spice. Tender Jack Cutlet & Denji Rawa Fry - Crispy, flavorful starters that pack a punch. Fish Pollichathu - Delicately spiced and wrapped in banana leaves, this dish is bursting with coastal flavors. Gutti Vankaya with Malabar Porotta - The rich, spiced eggplant curry paired beautifully with flaky porottas. Chicken Mappas with Appam - Creamy, coconut-based chicken curry served with soft appams--pure bliss! Gulab Jamun Brûlée - A delightful fusion dessert with the perfect balance of traditional and modern. Royal Rose Delight - A refreshing and fragrant dessert to end the meal on a high note.Whether it's a cozy date night, a family celebration, or just treating yourself, Anantara promises unforgettable moments and flavors that feel like home. Highly recommend giving this place a try--you'll leave with a full heart and an even fuller stomach!

Excellent food, primarily Kerala cuisine but also has a good mix of dishes from TN, Andhra and coastal Karnataka.Highly recommend Allepey Shrimp Curry

First off, I loved the vibe and ambience of the restaurant. It's modern, clean, minimalist, and yet cozy and inviting.Secondly, the appetizers and main entrees that I tried were on point. They were also served in beautiful ceramic and shining stainless steel crockery that appealed to my aesthetics.But the jewel in the crown was their service, and I have to mention Sandy Fernandez's name. He was so engaged, so attentive that made the whole experience even lovelier.When he found out that I couldn't handle the spice level of the Mysore Masala Dosa, he immediately offered to replace it with a non spicier version. I would recommend it to everyone.P.S. Btw, the Gulab Jamun Brûlée was ambrosial!

Good food and ambience. Great service by Sandy. Pongal special thali and chicken curry was good.